Now Casting: Paige Reifler

If you don’t know New York city-native Paige Reifler by name, chances are that you’ll spot her more than once while scrolling through your Instagram feed. The "Insta-It model’s" army of followers is growing steadily by the day, but that’s not to say that’s all she’s got time for. Paige is serious about her career as a model and has got the portfolio and personal trainer to prove it. Her first big break came earlier this year when Inez and Vinoodh photographed her for an editorial in V Magazine. Her second was in CR Fashion Book, where she was photographed in a bathtub full of black ink (per Carine’s request). Here, Paige dishes on her big break, meeting Bruce Weber, and what her life beyond the Instagram photos is really all about:

First memory of fashion?“My first memory of fashion is so quintessentially New York: I was sitting on the floor of my mom’s dressing room in Bergdorf Goodman as she tried on all of these amazing clothes. I watched her in awe and couldn’t wait to wear all of them myself.”

How were you discovered?“When I was 17, I met a photographer through a friend and he took some photos of me. Afterwards, and without my knowledge, he sent them to a bunch of agencies. A number of them showed interest and I decided to pursue modeling as a career. Up until that point, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so it was a really exciting time for me.”

What was your first big break?“I was really sick in bed and I got a call from Stephen Gan. Even if you’re dying, you pick up his calls. He told me that Inez and Vinoodh wanted to meet me. I dragged myself out of bed, put on some clothes and ran downtown to V Magazine's office right away. Luckily, we all hit it off and they decided to take a couple of photographs of me. I had no idea that they would actually end up in the magazine, so it was really amazing when I finally saw them in print.”

What is your favorite modeling career moment so far?“Every moment spent with Bruce Weber is one that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. The first time I met him was on a shoot in upstate New York. Everyone was taking a break and he asked if I’d like to take a walk. We ended up sitting down and it started to lightly rain. As it hit our faces, he recited a poem. It was a really special and beautiful moment. Shooting for CR was also very memorable. I was stained by the black ink and the makeup artist had to scrub my entire body with bleach afterwards. It was a blessing and a curse!”

Favorite designers?“Day-to-day I wear a lot of vintage clothes, but in terms of designers I absolutely love anything by Hedi Slimane. His aesthetic is so pure to him and he doesn’t follow trends. He’s rock'n'roll—and I dig that.”

Who is your favorite makeup artist?“I adore Rose-Marie Swift. She’s just so cool and her makeup is amazing. She used to be a punk and has all of these incredible stories about Iggy Pop and David Bowie, but at the same time she’s so humble and grounded.”

What is your favorite way to exercise?“It’s going to sound silly to say out loud, but I have a personal trainer. It took me a while to get one, but it’s my job to be healthy and look and feel great. As a model, you’re the final illustration of everyone’s hard work, so it’s important not to let people down. I eat very healthily and try to be as a active as possible all of the time.”

What do you love about Instagram?“Instagram is the only social media that I really use and I love it, but it’s important not to take it too seriously. I like to think of it as a curated diary and I hope that people remember that when they look at my and other people’s Instagram accounts that they admire. It can get you down when you think that everyone else is living this crazy glamorous life 24/7. While the photos are real, it’s a romantic retelling of a very small part of my life."

How do you respond to negative comments on your account?“I try to take social media with a grain of salt as much as I can. I used to take it really personally when people would comment negatively, but after a while I made an active decision to move on and ignore them. You give people power when you respond and, really, they don’t know me and what they think doesn’t actually matter.”

Who are your role models?“It's probably cliché to say 'my family,' but it's true. They keep me grounded and it’s amazing to come home and just be someone’s kid.”

What would people be most surprised to know about you?“People always assume that I’ll be really crazy, but I’m not a club girl at all. I’m actually kind of a nerd and love to just stay in, paint, and read. ”

What projects do you have on the horizon?“I’ve done a couple of exciting shoots, but I can’t talk about them too much just yet. I’m also hoping to do some runway shows soon. I’ve been booked for a few before, but I every single time I get sick the week before. The first time I got a kidney infection and the second time I sprained my calf, so fingers crossed next time I will be well!”

Where do you see yourself in ten years?“I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow, let alone in ten years. I’m just trying to take everything day by day.”

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